Vayalar Ravi is a prominent Congress leader who has held the portfolio of Union Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs two times........

Vayalar Ravi is a prominent Congress leader who has held the portfolio of Union Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs two times in Manmohan Singh's led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in its both term. For a short period, he has also hold an additional portfolio of Union Civil Aviation Minister from January 19, 2011 - December 18, 2011 until Chaudhary Ajit Singh succeeded him on 18th December 2011.

Vayalar Ravi belongs to Kerala where he was born on in Vayalar, Cherthala, Alappuzha District of Kerala. He had found political background from his family, as his mother was a congress leader, so during his college life he entered into politics and became the founder President of the Kerala Students Union (KSU), the students' wing of Indian National Congress in Kerala. He completed his Master Degree in Law from Law College, Emakulam and after completing his education he entered as a full time politician. He became the Member of Parliament (MP) first time in 2005 in the fifth Lok Sabha election Chirayinkil in Thiruvanathapuram district; he was re-elected to the 6th Lok Sabha in 1977 and served until 1979.

He won the Kerala Assembly election in 1982 and became Home Minister of Kerala from 1982 to 1986. He won the Kerala Assembly election two times - in 1982 and 1987 before re-elected to the parliament as a member of Rajya Sabha in July 1994. He got married with Mercy on 9th June 1969. The couple has with two daughters and one son. However, Mercy Ravi died on September 05, 2009 at the age of 64 due to Kidney failure.